novelraw Chapter 134 : Chapter 134
Chapter 134 : Chapter 134
Chapter 134 Star of the Grasslands (2)
─ BOOOOOM!
The moment Jaun's hand left the bowstring, a massive explosion erupted. Along with a noise like a cannon firing, the arrow shot forward at a speed invisible to the eye.
The Eastern Depot martial artists had jumped to avoid the bearded man's rope. The complexions of those who confirmed the arrow flying toward them in mid-air turned pale.
─ WHOOSH
"Be careful...!"
Just as Squad Leader Pyeon shouted a warning to the martial artists around him, a splatting sound was heard, and a fountain of blood erupted from the chest of the martial artist on the far right.
"Keuk."
The martial artist's eyes instantly lost their light. Soon, the limp body of the martial artist fell straight to the ground.
─ CRASH
A large hole was gaping open in the fallen martial artist's chest, as if a massive cannonball had passed through it.
'How... can an arrow have this much power?'
As Squad Leader Pyeon stared at the fallen martial artist's chest and landed on the ground, another sharp sound of cutting wind was heard.
─ WHOOSH
Confirming the arrow flying through the wind, Squad Leader Pyeon bit his lip hard.
"Everyone, gather behind me!"
At Squad Leader Pyeon's command, the Eastern Depot martial artists all lined up behind him.
─ SWOOOSH
The arrow that cut through the air shot straight toward Squad Leader Pyeon, who stood at the very front.
"Haaap!"
Squad Leader Pyeon took a deep breath and raised his slender hand. A deep white energy gathered in Squad Leader Pyeon's hand, and soon, a brilliantly spread palm energy filled the space before his eyes.
[Yin Transforming Chaotic Flower]
The powerful energy of the Kuihua Scripture flowing through Squad Leader Pyeon's body radiated a refined Yin energy so intense it made one's eyes sting.
The palm energy created a sharp force, and the sharp force piled up in the air, eventually creating a massive wall.
And Jaun's arrow, flashing with black light, flew in and embedded itself in that wall.
─ CRAAAAASH!
The incoming arrow shattered the wall of internal energy that Squad Leader Pyeon had created, exploding along with it.
"Ugh."
Swallowing the blood that rose up from within and looking down at his own reddened hand, Squad Leader Pyeon bit his lip hard.
"He is no ordinary foe! Everyone, gather your energy to me. If we do not combine our strength to respond..."
Squad Leader Pyeon's body, which had been shouting at the martial artists behind him, suddenly flinched. A chilling sensation swept through his entire body.
Quickly turning his head to check the front again, the color drained from Squad Leader Pyeon's face.
─ VROOOOOM
In front of Squad Leader Pyeon, a third arrow, filled with crimson-black demonic energy, was flying in, carrying a massive vortex.
'...Ah.'
A sense of futility filled the face of Squad Leader Pyeon, who had been raising his energy. Even if he combined his internal energy with that of the Eastern Depot martial artists, the power contained in that arrow was on a level that was absolutely impossible to block.
'Why is a master of this level in such a remote place...?'
Squad Leader Pyeon, who was staring blankly at the arrow that contained such immense power that other objects seemed distorted, lowered his head and quietly looked at his own white hand.
'I've only just received the title of Squad Leader and caught the Admiral's eye... To not even get to see the flower bloom...'
Just as Squad Leader Pyeon raised his head again, the arrow containing immense energy passed straight through the chests of the martial artists, including Squad Leader Pyeon.
─ SPLAT SPLAT SPLAT SPLAT SPLAT SPLAT!
A flashing light swept past, and the Eastern Depot martial artists all collapsed on the spot.
─ THUD
"H-huuuh?"
The Imperial soldier, who had been trembling with his head bowed, was startled to see the thick blood flowing before his eyes and shot up from his spot.
"S-Squad Leader-nim..."
The Imperial soldier's legs trembled as he looked at the seven corpses lying before him.
"The Eastern Depot has fallen! E-everyone, retreat! We are no match for them!"
The Imperial soldiers at the back, who had not yet grasped the situation, were startled when they finally confirmed the fallen Squad Leader Pyeon on the ground.
"Uh, uh?"
"Hiiik!"
As one or two Imperial soldiers turned and started to run, the formation collapsed in an instant. Thus, over a hundred Imperial soldiers all began to run toward the Central Plains.
─ CLIP-CLOP CLIP-CLOP
In the place where the Imperial soldiers had left.
Jaun and the warriors of the Root Tribe arrived on horseback.
The party, which had been looking around with heavy faces, let out a sigh.
"...They've been massacred."
"How could a person do such a thing...!"
Whereas in previous subjugation operations, adult men had been the main targets, this time, everyone in the tribe was a target.
While the party was looking around blankly, the warriors of the Root Tribe who had recovered the bodies began to dig the ground with heavy faces.
Jaun, who was watching the tribe's warriors burying the bodies of their comrades, turned his head and stared down at the blood pooled in the waterproof cloths.
"...We will depart first."
The fists of Jaun, who had turned his head, were trembling faintly.
As soon as Jaun mounted his horse again, a rough cloud of dust began to rise in all directions.
***
"Are those them?"
"Yes, Thousand Households Commander Ma."
Thousand Households Commander Ma, who was wearing splendid embroidered clothes and sitting on a huge horse, tilted his head.
"Why haven't we seen guys like that before?"
"They are ones who have only been running away while protecting their families. There is no way of knowing why those guys are suddenly resisting so fiercely."
"Hmm."
Thousand Households Commander Ma, who had taken out the huge spear tied to his saddle, spun the spear around and then tucked it into his waist.
"Let's get rid of them first. Is everyone ready?"
"Chung!"
Behind Thousand Households Commander Ma, nearly fifty Embroidered Uniform Guards raised their spears in unison.
"There are no prying eyes, so I permit the use of the Red Blood Art. We need to finish this as quickly as possible and return. A grave mission has been given. Now, let's go!"
As Thousand Households Commander Ma turned his horse's head and moved forward, a hazy red energy began to shimmer over the bodies of the Embroidered Uniform Guards behind him.
As the fifty Embroidered Uniform Guards all kicked off the ground and ran forward, a vibration as if the earth was shaking began to spread in all directions.
─ THUDUDUDUDUDU
The giant of the Rock Tribe, who had confirmed the strong vibration and fierce energy wave coming from the opposite side, snorted.
"...Everyone, get ready! The ones who use strange powers are coming!"
As he, the leader of the Rock Tribe's warriors, waved his thick arm, the other warriors all mounted their horses and took out the bows slung on their backs.
"Aim."
As the giant lifted a bow as tall as himself, the tribe's warriors drew their bowstrings at the same time.
"Fire!"
─ WHOOSH
─ WHIZ WHIZ
Dozens of arrows flew toward the approaching Embroidered Uniform Guard.
"You uncivilized bastards!"
Thousand Households Commander Ma, who was riding at the very front, jumped from his horse into the air. Then, with a brilliant movement, Commander Ma, who had righted his posture in mid-air, had a golden energy shimmering on his spear.
"Tahap!"
The spear of Commander Ma, swung with a firm shout, created a fierce wind.
─ WHOOSH
The arrows that adorned the sky began to sway here and there due to the energy extending from Commander Ma's spear.
─ CLATTER CLATTER CLATTER
Commander Ma, who easily deflected the arrows that had lost their momentum, landed on the ground and shot forward.
The martial artists of the Embroidered Uniform Guard followed behind Commander Ma, deflecting the remaining arrows and all leaping forward in unison.
The giant, who was watching the Embroidered Uniform Guard easily break through the barrage of arrows, shouted to his surroundings in a loud voice.
"These are people of the Central Plains on a different level from the ones we've seen so far! Even if we are to become spirits and return to nature here today, we must somehow stop them from getting close to our tribespeople! Everyone, let's go!"
The giant of the Rock Tribe spurred his horse and galloped forward.
─ THUDUDUDU
─ CLATTER CLATTER CLATTER
The giant, who had taken out two thick short spears from his waist and held one in each hand, instantly combined the two short spears.
It was a clash of spear against spear.
Commander Ma, who had approached at high speed, planted his spear in the ground and launched his body into the air.
Rotating his body once in the air, Commander Ma held his spear forward and straightened his body.
[Golden Resonance Strike]
Then, a strong golden light emanated from Commander Ma's body, and the body of Commander Ma, which had become one with the spear, was shot toward the giant.
"...Ta huau jeonpu!"
The giant, who let out a loud shout, swung the spear made from combining two short spears at the incoming Commander Ma.
─ BOOOOOM!
The collision of the two men's energies shook the ground.
The giant's horse collapsed, vomiting blood from the massive shockwave. The giant, who had jumped off the retreating horse, landed on the ground and swung his spear forward once more.
─ CRASH!
─ CRASH, CRASH CRASH!
The giant's spear and Commander Ma's spear clashed in succession, and behind them, the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the warriors of the Rock Tribe brought their spears against each other.
"Haaap!"
"Ihaou iho!"
Impact sounds continuously erupted between the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who wielded their spears like flowing water with disciplined stances, and the tribe's warriors, who attempted unpredictable attacks with beast-like movements.
─ CRASH! CRAAASH!
Commander Ma, who was parrying the giant's spear, grinned and took a step back.
"...You're pretty good for an uncivilized bastard."
Commander Ma rolled his shoulder once and raised his spear again. A faint reddish aura spread from the body of Commander Ma, who had raised his energy.
"Hmm..."
The giant, who felt the strange energy emanating from Commander Ma's body, flinched.
─ CRAAASH!
The spear of Commander Ma, who shot forward with a powerful step, cut through the air and narrowly grazed the giant's chest.
─ SLASH
The giant, who avoided the spear grazing his chest and struggled to find his balance, gritted his teeth as he looked at the reddish aura.
"...The dogs of the Central Plains have sold their souls to evil spirits."
The giant raised his head and let out a rough roar.
"Hauuuuuu!"
"Hoau!"
Following the giant's cry, the cries of the Rock Tribe's warriors filled the grasslands and scattered.
Immediately after, the giant lowered his posture as much as possible, separated his spear again, and held one in each hand. Then, he focused on the successively thrown spears of Commander Ma and raised his own short spear.
─ CLANG!
The giant deflected the incoming spear of Commander Ma with one hand and took a deep breath.
─ VROOOM
A heat haze began to shimmer on the giant's short spear. A moment later, the giant bent his body back like a bow and then threw the short spear he was holding forward with all his might.
─ SWOOOOSH!
The short spear, flying with the sound of cutting wind, contained a strange power never before seen in the Central Plains.
Commander Ma brought his spear to a middle guard stance with a stiff expression.
'What... is this power?'
It was not internal energy, but the flying short spear clearly contained immense power.
Commander Ma, with a tense expression, pulled his spear back strongly, took a deep breath, and then thrust the spear forward again.
Just before Commander Ma's spear collided with the flying short spear, the short spear thrown by the giant showed an incomprehensible movement.
'Wha-!?'
The short spear, which had slithered around Commander Ma's spear as if a snake were coiling around its prey, shot straight toward Commander Ma's heart. The two eyes of Commander Ma, who confirmed this, widened in surprise.
Ma Cheon-ho, who let go of his spear and kicked off the ground, stretching his body backward, drew a large golden circle in the air with his left hand.
[Golden Ring Hegemonic Reversal Stance]
The giant's short spear shot into the massive golden circle that Commander Ma had created.
─ KIIING
The moment the giant's short spear passed through the golden circle, Commander Ma's energy began to devour the energy contained in the short spear, just as the sea swallows a river.
The short spear momentarily lost its power and wavered, and Commander Ma, who did not miss that gap, filled his hand with energy and struck the short spear down.
─ CRAASH!
As Commander Ma's hand fell from top to bottom and struck the short spear, the powerless short spear embedded itself precariously right in front of Commander Ma's feet.
'...That was a close call.'
Commander Ma, who jumped over the short spear on the ground with a stiff expression, ran forward again and picked up the spear he had dropped.
'If I underestimate them as uncivilized bastards, I'm going to get hurt badly.'
As Commander Ma gritted his teeth, gripped his spear tightly, and rotated his body, his spear drew a large semicircle.
─ WHOOSH
The giant, who was running with a short spear in hand, felt the incoming spear energy and quickly reduced his speed.
─ CLAAAAANG!
As Commander Ma's energy struck the giant's short spear, the giant's left hand, unable to withstand the force, tore open, and a fountain of blood spurted in all directions.
The sight of the giant's short spear flying over his head and far into the distance entered Commander Ma's eyes.
'A chance!'
Just as Commander Ma planted his feet on the ground again and leaned his body forward,
─ KIIIIING
A black arrow that flew from somewhere cut through the air and aimed for Commander Ma's back.
'Hup?!'
Commander Ma quickly turned his body and swung his spear toward the arrow.
─ BOOOOOM!
This time, a fountain of blood erupted from the hand of Commander Ma, who had intercepted the arrow.
Commander Ma's spear spun in the air and then fell to the ground.
─ THUD
Ma Cheon-ho, who briefly looked down at his own hand dripping with blood, raised his head and looked forward.
Dozens of unidentified cavalrymen were rushing toward them at an incredible speed.